Absorbent article having a topsheet that includes selectively openable and closable openings

ABSTRACT

An absorbent article adapted to be worn about the lower torso of a wearer. The article includes a liquid-impervious, flexible backsheet adapted to face outwardly relative to the body a wearer, a liquid-pervious topsheet adapted to face the body of the wearer, and an absorbent core positioned between the backsheet and the topsheet. The topsheet is elastically extensible and includes a plurality of slits or cuts that extend through the topsheet material and that enlarge to define a plurality of openings in the topsheet when it is subjected to tensile forces as it is worn. The openings permit solid and semi-solid bodily exudates to pass through the topsheet to the absorbent core as the diaper is worn. Upon removal of the diaper from the body of the wearer the tensile forces within the topsheet are relaxed, thereby causing the openings in the topsheet to close and substantially conceal from view the bodily exudates that had passed through the topsheet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to disposable absorbent articles, such asdisposable diapers. More particularly, the present invention relates toa disposable absorbent article that has a body-facing, elasticallyextensible topsheet that includes slits that open when the topsheet issubjected to tensile forces and that close when the tensile forces arereleased.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Infants and other incontinent individuals wear absorbent articles suchas diapers and incontinent briefs to receive and contain dischargedurine and other body exudates. Such absorbent articles function both tocontain the discharged materials and to isolate those materials from thebody of the wearer and from the wearer's garments and bed clothing.Disposable absorbent articles having many different basic designs areknown in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,152, entitled"Disposable Diaper," which issued on Jan. 31, 1967, to Duncan et al.,describes a basic disposable diaper structure that has achieved wideacceptance and considerable commercial success.

Disposable absorbent articles that include a topsheet having a single,relatively large area aperture to permit fecal material to passtherethrough are known. Such structures are directed to isolating thefecal material from the body of the wearer. Examples of such knownstructures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,416, entitled"Disposable Absorbent Article Having Elastically Extensible Topsheet,"which issued on Aug. 6, 1991, to Allen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,775,entitled "Trisection Topsheets for Disposable Absorbent Articles andDisposable Absorbent Articles Having Such Trisection Topsheets," whichissued on Dec. 14, 1993, to Freeland et al.; and U.S. Pat. No.5,624,422, entitled "Absorbent Article Having an Extendible Split Core,"which issued on Apr. 29, 1997, to Allen.

In addition to isolating fecal material from the body of the wearer, itis also highly desirable that fecal material be concealed from view uponremoval of the absorbent article from the body of the wearer. Suchconcealment is especially desirable when the fecal material is insemi-solid or fluid form, which is typical of bowel movements of newbornand very young infants, and of others suffering from diarrhea.Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide adisposable absorbent article that is so configured as to block from viewas much as possible of semi-solid and fluid fecal material that isreceived in article during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention,there is provided an absorbent article that is worn about the waist andlower torso. The article includes a liquid impervious backsheet havingan outer, garment-facing surface and an inner, body-facing surface. Anabsorbent core is provided adjacent the body-facing surface of thebacksheet. The absorbent core has a shape to enable the core to beplaced adjacent the crotch area of the body of a wearer and has thecapacity to absorb liquids. A flexible, liquid-impervious topsheetoverlies the absorbent core, the topsheet including a plurality ofspaced discontinuities that are substantially closed when the topsheetis in an untensioned condition and that are open to define a pluralityof spaced openings extending through the topsheet when the topsheet issubjected to tension, to enable solid and semi-solid fecal materials topass through the topsheet to the absorbent core. Upon removal of thearticle form the wearer the topsheet openings close to substantiallyconceal the fecal material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an absorbent article in accordance with thepresent invention, in the form of a disposable diaper, having a portionof the structure cut away to reveal underlying structure.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing an absorbent articlein accordance with the present invention with the article in untensionedcondition before application to the body of a wearer.

FIG. 3 is an exploded, cross-sectional view of the article of FIG. 2taken along the line 3--3 thereof.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, showing a portion of theabsorbent article subjected to tension in the lateral direction.

FIG. 5 is an exploded, cross-sectional view of the article of FIG. 4taken along the line 5--5 thereof.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 showing fecal material thathas passed through openings in the topsheet of the article.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 but showing the article afterthe openings in the topsheet have closed.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a topsheet includingcurvilinear slits.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of FIG. 8 but showing the topsheet ofFIG. 8 when placed under tension.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a topsheet includinga plurality of angularly disposed rectilinear slits.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of another form of absorbent articlehaving a substantially inelastic backsheet that has a greater width thanthat of an attached elastic topsheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the term "absorbent article" refers to devices whichabsorb and contain body exudates, and more specifically, refers todevices which are placed against or in proximity to the body of thewearer to absorb and contain the various exudates discharged from thebody. The term "disposable" is used herein to describe absorbentarticles which generally are not intended to be laundered or otherwiserestored or reused as an absorbent article (i.e., they are intended tobe discarded after a single use and, preferably, to be recycled,composted or otherwise disposed of in an environmentally compatiblemanner). (As used herein, the term "disposed" is used to mean that anelement(s) of the diaper is formed (joined and positioned) in aparticular place or position as a unitary structure with other elementsof the diaper or as a separate element joined to another element of thediaper. As used herein, the term "joined" encompasses configurationswhereby an element is directly secured to another element by affixingthe element directly to the other element, and configurations whereby anelement is indirectly secured to another element by affixing the elementto intermediate member(s) which in turn are affixed to the otherelement.) A "unitary" absorbent article refers to absorbent articleswhich are formed of separate parts united together to form a coordinatedentity so that they do not require separate manipulative parts like aseparate holder and liner. A preferred embodiment of an absorbentarticle of the present invention is the unitary disposable absorbentarticle, diaper 20, shown in FIG. 1. As used herein, the term "diaper"refers to an absorbent article generally worn by infants and incontinentpersons about the lower torso. The present invention is also applicableto other absorbent articles such as incontinence briefs, incontinenceundergarments, absorbent inserts, diaper holders and liners, femininehygiene garments, wipes, mops, bandages and the like.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the diaper 20 of the present invention in aflat-out, state with portions of the structure being cut-away to moreclearly show the construction of the diaper 20. The portion of thediaper 20 that faces the wearer is oriented towards the viewer. As shownin FIG. 1, the diaper 20 preferably comprises a liquid pervious topsheet24; a liquid impervious backsheet 26; an absorbent core 28, which ispreferably positioned between at least a portion of the topsheet 24 andthe backsheet 26; side panels 30; elasticized leg cuffs 32; an elasticwaist feature 34; and a fastening system generally designated 36. Diaper20 is shown in FIG. 1 to have a first waist region 46, a second waistregion 44 opposed to the first waist region 46 and a crotch region 48located between the first waist region and the second waist region. Theperiphery of the diaper 20 is defined by the outer edges of the diaper20 in which the longitudinal side edges 50 run generally parallel to thelongitudinal centerline 100 of the diaper 20 and the end edges 52 runbetween the longitudinal side edges 50 generally parallel to the lateralcenterline 110 of the diaper 20.

The chassis 22 of the diaper 20 comprises the main body of the diaper20. The chassis 22 comprises at least a portion of the absorbent core 28and preferably an outer covering layer including the topsheet 24 and thebacksheet 26. Chassis 22 includes an inner, body-facing surface 40 andan outer, garment-facing surface 42. If the absorbent article comprisesa separate holder and a liner, the chassis 22 generally comprises theholder and the liner. (For example, the holder may comprise one or morelayers of material to form the outer cover of the article and the linermay comprise an absorbent assembly including a topsheet, a backsheet,and an absorbent core. In such cases, the holder and/or the liner mayinclude a fastening element which is used to hold the liner in placethroughout the time of use.) For unitary absorbent articles, the chassis22 comprises the main structure of the diaper with other features addedto form the composite diaper structure. While the topsheet 24, thebacksheet 26, and the absorbent core 28 may be assembled in a variety ofwell-known configurations, preferred diaper configurations are describedgenerally in U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003 entitled "Contractible SidePortions for Disposable Diaper" which issued to Kenneth B. Buell on Jan.14, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell on Sep. 9, 1992; andU.S. Pat. No. 5,221,274 issued to Buell on Jun. 22, 1993; and U.S. Pat.No. 5,554,145 entitled "Absorbent Article With Multiple Zone StructuralElastic-Like Film Web Extensible Waist Feature" which issued to Roe etal. on Sep. 10, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,234 entitled "DisposablePull-On Pant" which issued to Buell et al. on Oct. 29, 1996; U.S. Pat.No. 5,580,411 entitled "Zero Scrap Method For Manufacturing Side PanelsFor Absorbent Articles" which issued to Nease et al. on Dec. 3, 1996;and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/915,471 entitled "AbsorbentArticle With Multi-Directional Extensible Side Panels" filed Aug. 20,1997 in the name of Robles et al.; each of which is incorporated hereinby reference.

The backsheet 26 is generally that portion of the diaper 20 positionedadjacent the garment-facing surface of the absorbent core 28. Backsheet26 prevents the exudates absorbed and contained therein from soilingarticles that may contact the diaper 20, such as bedsheets andundergarments. In preferred embodiments, the backsheet 26 is imperviousto liquids (e.g., urine) and comprises a thin plastic film such as athermoplastic film having a thickness of about 0.012 mm (0.5 mil) toabout 0.051 mm (2.0 mils). Suitable backsheet films include thosemanufactured by Tredegar Industries Inc. of Terre Haute, Ind. and soldunder the trade names X15306, X10962, and X10964. Other suitablebacksheet materials may include breathable materials that permit vaporsto escape from the diaper 20 while still preventing exudates frompassing through the backsheet 26. Exemplary breathable materials mayinclude materials such as woven webs, nonwoven webs, composite materialssuch as film-coated nonwoven webs, and microporous films such asmanufactured by Mitsui Toatsu Co., of Japan under the designation ESPOIRNO and by EXXON Chemical Co., of Bay City, Tex., under the designationEXXAIRE. Suitable breathable composite materials comprising polymerblends are available from Clopay Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio under thename HYTREL blend P18-3097. Such breathable composite materials aredescribed in greater detail in PCT Application No. WO 95/16746,published on Jun. 22, 1995 in the name of E.I. DuPont and copending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 08/744,487, filed on Nov. 6, 1996 in thename of Curro. Other breathable backsheets including nonwoven webs andapertured formed films are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,096 issuedto Dobrin et al. on Nov. 5, 1996. Each of these references is herebyincorporated by reference herein.

The backsheet 26, or any portion thereof, may be elastically extensiblein one or more directions. In one embodiment, the backsheet 26 maycomprise a structural elastic-like film ("SELF") web. A structuralelastic-like film web is an extensible material that exhibits anelastic-like behavior in the direction of elongation without the use ofadded elastic materials. The SELF web includes a strainable networkhaving at least two contiguous, distinct, and dissimilar regions.Preferably, of the regions is configured so that it will exhibitresistive forces in response to an applied axial elongation in adirection parallel to the predetermined axis before a substantialportion of the other region develops significant resistive forces to theapplied elongation. At least one of the regions has a surface-pathlength that is greater than that of the other region as measuredsubstantially parallel to the predetermined axis while the material isin an untensioned condition. The region exhibiting the longersurface-path length includes one or more deformations that extend beyondthe plane of the other region. The SELF web exhibits at least twosignificantly different stages of controlled resistive force toelongation along at least one predetermined axis when subjected to anapplied elongation in a direction parallel to the predetermined axis.The SELF web exhibits first resistive forces to the applied elongationuntil the elongation of the web is sufficient to cause a substantialportion of the region having the longer surface-path length to enter theplane of applied elongation, whereupon the SELF web exhibits secondresistive forces to further elongation. The total resistive forces toelongation are higher than the first resistive forces to elongationprovided by the first region. SELF webs suitable for the presentinvention are more completely described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,801entitled Web Materials Exhibiting Elastic-Like Behavior, which issued toChappell, et, al. on May 21, 1996, which is incorporated herein byreference. In alternate embodiments, the backsheet 26 may compriseelastomeric films, foams, strands, or combinations of these or othersuitable materials with nonwovens or synthetic films.

The backsheet 26 may be joined to the topsheet 24, the absorbent core28, or any other element of the diaper 20 by any attachment means knownin the art. For example, the attachment means may include a uniformcontinuous layer of adhesive, a patterned layer of adhesive, or an arrayof separate lines, spirals, or spots of adhesive. One preferredattachment means comprises an open pattern network of filaments ofadhesive as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,986 entitled "DisposableWaste-Containment Garment", which issued to Minetola et al. on Mar. 4,1986. Other suitable attachment means include several lines of adhesivefilaments which are swirled into a spiral pattern, as is illustrated bythe apparatus and methods shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,173 issued toSprague, Jr. on Oct. 7, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,996 issued to Ziecker,et al. on Nov. 22, 1978; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,666 issued to Wereniczon Jun.27, 1989. Each of these patents is incorporated herein byreference. Adhesives that have been found to be satisfactory aremanufactured by H. B. Fuller Company of St. Paul, Minn. and marketed asHL-1620 and HL-1358-XZP. Alternatively, the attachment means maycomprise heat bonds, pressure bonds, ultrasonic bonds, dynamicmechanical bonds, or any other suitable attachment means or combinationsof these attachment means as are known in the art.

The topsheet 24 is preferably positioned adjacent the body-facingsurface of the absorbent core 28 and may be joined thereto and/or to thebacksheet 26 by any attachment means known in the art. Suitableattachment means are described above with respect to means for joiningthe backsheet 26 to other elements of the diaper 20. In one preferredembodiment of the present invention, the topsheet 24 and the backsheet26 are joined directly to each other in some locations and areindirectly joined together in other locations by directly joining themto other elements of the diaper 20.

The topsheet 24 is preferably compliant, soft feeling, andnon-irritating to the wearer's skin. Further, at least a portion of thetopsheet 24 is liquid pervious, permitting liquid to readily penetratethrough its thickness. A suitable topsheet 24 may be manufactured from awide range of materials, such as porous foams; reticulated foams;apertured plastic films; or woven or nonwoven webs of natural fibers(e.g., wood or cotton fibers), synthetic fibers (e.g., polyester orpolypropylene fibers), or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers.If the topsheet include fibers, the fibers may be spunbond, carded,wet-laid, meltblown, hydroentangled, or otherwise processed as is knownin the art. One suitable topsheet 24 comprising a web of staple lengthpolypropylene fibers is manufactured by Veratec, Inc., a Division ofInternational Paper Company, of Walpole, Mass. under the designationP-8.

Suitable formed film topsheets are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,135,entitled "Absorptive Structures Having Tapered Capillaries", whichissued to Thompson on Dec. 30, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,246 entitled"Disposable Absorbent Article Having A Stain Resistant Topsheet", whichissued to Mullane, et al. on Apr. 13, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,314entitled "Resilient Plastic Web Exhibiting Fiber-Like Properties", whichissued to Radel, et al. on Aug. 3, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,045entitled "Macroscopically Expanded Three-Dimensional Plastic WebExhibiting Non-Glossy Visible Surface and Cloth-Like TactileImpression", which issued to Ahr, et al. on Jul. 31, 1984; and U.S. Pat.No. 5,006,394 "Multilayer Polymeric Film" issued to Baird on Apr. 9,1991. Other suitable topsheets 24 can be made in accordance with U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,609,518 and 4,629,643 which issued to Curro et al. on Sep.2, 1986 and Dec. 16, 1986, respectively, and both of which areincorporated herein by reference. Such formed films are available fromThe Procter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio as "DRI-WEAVE" and fromTredegar Corporation of Terre Haute, Ind. as "CLIFF-T."

Preferably, the topsheet 24 is made of a hydrophobic material or istreated to be hydrophobic in order to isolate the wearer's skin fromliquids contained in the absorbent core 28. If the topsheet 24 is madeof a hydrophobic material, preferably at least the upper surface of thetopsheet 24 is treated to be hydrophilic so that liquids will transferthrough the topsheet more rapidly. This diminishes the likelihood thatbody exudates will flow off the topsheet 24 rather than being drawnthrough the topsheet 24 and being absorbed by the absorbent core 28. Thetopsheet 24 can be rendered hydrophilic by treating it with a surfactantor by incorporating a surfactant into the topsheet. Suitable methods fortreating the topsheet 24 with a surfactant include spraying the topsheet24 material with the surfactant and immersing the material into thesurfactant. A more detailed discussion of such a treatment andhydrophilicity is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,344 entitled"Absorbent Articles with Multiple Layer Absorbent Layers" issued toReising, et al. on Jan. 29, 1991, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,345 entitled"Absorbent Articles with Rapid Acquiring Absorbent Cores" issued toReising on Jan. 29, 1991. A more detailed discussion of some suitablemethods for incorporating surfactant in the topsheet can be found inU.S. Statutory Invention Registration No. H1670, published on Jul. 1,1997 in the names of Aziz et al. Each of these references is herebyincorporated by reference herein. Alternatively, the topsheet 24 mayinclude an apertured web or film that is hydrophobic. This may beaccomplished eliminating the hydrophilizing treatment step from theproduction process and/or applying a hydrophobic treatment to thetopsheet 24, such as a polytetrafluoroethylene compound like SCOTCHGUARDor a hydrophobic lotion composition, as described below. In suchembodiments, it is preferred that the apertures be large enough to allowthe penetration of aqueous fluids like urine without significantresistance.

Any portion of the topsheet 24 may be coated with a lotion as is knownin the art. Examples of suitable lotions include those described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,607,760 entitled "Disposable Absorbent Article Having ALotioned Topsheet Containing an Emollient and a Polyol PolyesterImmobilizing Agent" which issued to Roe on Mar. 4, 1997; U.S. Pat. No.5,609,587 entitled "Diaper Having A Lotion Topsheet Comprising A LiquidPolyol Polyester Emollient And An Immobilizing Agent" which issued toRoe on Mar. 11, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,191 entitled "Diaper Having ALotioned Topsheet Containing A Polysiloxane Emollient" which issued toRoe et al. on Jun. 3, 1997; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,588 entitled "DiaperHaving A Lotioned Topsheet" which issued to Roe et al. on Jul. 1, 1997.The lotion may function alone or in combination with another agent asthe hydrophobizing treatment described above. The topsheet may alsoinclude or be treated with antibacterial agents, some examples of whichare disclosed in PCT Publication No. WO 95/24173 entitled "AbsorbentArticles Containing Antibacterial Agents in the Topsheet For OdorControl" which was published on Sep. 14, 1995 in the name of TheresaJohnson. Further, the topsheet 24, the backsheet 26 or any portion ofthe topsheet or backsheet may be embossed and/or matte finished toprovide a more cloth like appearance.

The absorbent core 28 may comprise any absorbent material that isgenerally compressible, conformable, non-irritating to the wearer'sskin, and capable of absorbing and retaining liquids such as urine andother certain body exudates. The absorbent core 28 has longitudinal sideedges 60 and end edges 29 and can be manufactured in a wide variety ofsizes and shapes (e.g., rectangular, hourglass, "T"-shaped, asymmetric,etc.) and may comprise a wide variety of liquid-absorbent materialscommonly used in disposable diapers and other absorbent articles such ascomminuted wood pulp, which is generally referred to as airfelt.Examples of other suitable absorbent materials include creped cellulosewadding; meltblown polymers, including coform; chemically stiffened,modified or cross-linked cellulosic fibers; tissue, including tissuewraps and tissue laminates; absorbent foams; absorbent sponges;superabsorbent polymers; absorbent gelling materials; or any other knownabsorbent material or combinations of materials.

The configuration and construction of the absorbent core 28 may also bevaried (e.g., the absorbent core(s) or other absorbent structure(s) mayhave varying caliper zones, a hydrophilic gradient, a superabsorbentgradient, or lower average density and lower average basis weightacquisition zones; or may comprise one or more layers or structures).However, the total absorbent capacity of the absorbent core 28 should becompatible with the design loading and the intended use of the diaper20.

Exemplary absorbent structures for use as the absorbent assemblies aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,678 entitled "High-Density AbsorbentStructures" issued to Weisman et al. on Sep. 9, 1986; U.S. Pat. No.4,673,402 entitled "Absorbent Articles With Dual-Layered Cores" issuedto Weisman et al. on Jun. 16, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,735, entitled"High Density Absorbent Members Having Lower Density and Lower BasisWeight Acquisition Zones", issued to Alemany et al. on May 30, 1989;U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,231 entitled "Absorbent Core Having A Dusting Layer"issued to Angstadt on Dec. 19, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,537 entitled"Absorbent Structure Containing Individualized, Polycarboxylic AcidCrosslinked Wood Pulp Cellulose Fibers" which issued to Herron et al. onAug. 11, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,345 entitled "High EfficiencyAbsorbent Articles For Incontinence Management" issued to Young et al.on Sep. 15, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,338 entitled "Disposable AbsorbentArticle For Low-Viscosity Fecal Material" issued to Roe on Aug. 30,1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,345 entitled "Absorbent Foam Materials ForAqueous Body Fluids and Absorbent Articles Containing Such Materials"issued to DesMarais et al. on Nov. 9, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,207entitled "Thin-Until-Wet Absorbent Foam Materials For Aqueous BodyFluids And Process For Making Same" issued to Dyer et al. on Feb. 7,1995; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,222 entitled "Absorbent Foam Materials ForAqueous Fluids Made From high Internal Phase Emulsions Having Very HighWater-To-Oil Ratios" issued to DesMarais et al. on Jul. 22, 1997. Eachof these patents is incorporated herein by reference.

The diaper 20 may also comprise at least one elastic waist feature 34that helps to provide improved fit and containment. The elastic waistfeature 34 is generally intended to elastically expand and contract todynamically fit the wearer's waist. The elastic waist feature 34preferably extends at least longitudinally outwardly from at least onewaist edge 29 of the absorbent core 28 and generally forms at least aportion of the end edge 52 of the diaper 20. Disposable diapers areoften constructed so as to have two elastic waist features, onepositioned in the first waist region 46 and one positioned in the secondwaist region 44. Further, while the elastic waist feature 34 or any ofits constituent elements may comprise one or more separate elementsaffixed to the diaper 20, the elastic waist feature 34 may beconstructed as an extension of other elements of the diaper 20, such asthe backsheet 26, the topsheet 24, or both the backsheet 26 and thetopsheet 24.

The elastic waist feature 34 may be constructed in a number of differentconfigurations including those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,595issued to Kievit et al. on May 7, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,189 issuedto Lash on Dec. 1, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell on Sep.9, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,274 issued to Buell on Jun. 22, 1993.Other suitable waist configurations may include waistcap features suchas those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,364 issued to Robertson onJun. 25, 1991 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,025 issued to Foreman on Mar. 28,1989. All of the above mentioned references are incorporated herein byreference.

The diaper 20 may also include a fastening system 36. The fasteningsystem 36 preferably maintains the side panels 30 of the first waistregion 46 and the second waist region 44 in at least partiallyoverlapped condition to provide lateral tensions about the circumferenceof the diaper 20 when it is worn, to hold the diaper 20 on the wearer.The fastening system 36 preferably comprises securement members 37 thatcan be in the form of tape tabs that engage a landing member 38, and/orhook and loop fastening components, although any other known fasteningmeans are generally acceptable. Some exemplary fastening systems aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,594 entitled "Tape Fastening System forDisposable Diaper" issued to Buell on Nov. 19, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. B14,662,875 entitled "Absorbent Article" issued to Hirotsu et al. on May5, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,815 entitled "Disposable Diaper Having AnImproved Fastening Device" issued to Scripps on Jul. 11, 1989; U.S. Pat.No. 4,894,060 entitled "Disposable Diaper With Improved Hook FastenerPortion" issued to Nestegard on Jan. 16, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,527entitled "Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive Fastener And Method of MakingSame" issued to Battrell on Aug. 7, 1990; and the herein beforereferenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell on Sep. 9, 1992; andU.S. Pat. No. 5,221,274 issued to Buell on Jun. 22, 1993. The fasteningsystem may also provide a means for holding the article in a disposalconfiguration as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,140 issued toRobertson et al. on Oct. 16, 1990. Each of these patents is incorporatedherein by reference. In alternative embodiments, opposing sides of thegarment may be seamed or welded to form a pant. This allows the articleto be used as a pull-on type diaper, such as a training pant.

The diaper 20 may also comprise side panels 30. The side panels 30 maybe elastic or extensible to provide a more comfortable andbody-conforming fit by initially conformably fitting the diaper 20 tothe wearer and sustaining this fit throughout the time of wear well pastwhen the diaper 20 has been loaded with exudates since the elasticizedside panels 30 allow the sides of the diaper 20 to expand and contract.The side panels 30 may also provide more effective application of thediaper 20 because even if the diaperer pulls one elasticized side panel30 farther than the other during application, the diaper 20 will"self-adjust" during wear.

While the diaper 20 of the present invention preferably has the sidepanels 30 disposed in the second waist region 44, the diaper 20 may beprovided with side panels 30 disposed in the first waist region 46 or inboth the first waist region 46 and the second waist region 44. The sidepanels 30 may be constructed in any suitable configurations. Examples ofdiapers with elasticized side panels are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,857,067, entitled "Disposable Diaper Having Shirred Ears" issued toWood, et al. on Aug. 15, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,781 issued toSciaraffa, et al. on May 3, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,753 issued to VanGompel, et al. on Jul. 3, 1990; the herein before referenced U.S. Pat.No. 5,151,092 issued to Buell on Sep. 9, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,274 issued to Buell on Jun. 22, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,897 issuedto LaVon, et al. on Sep. 23, 1997 entitled "Absorbent Articles ProvidingSustained Dynamic Fit"; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/155,048entitled "Absorbent Article With Multi-Directional Extensible SidePanels" filed Nov. 19, 1993 in the names of Robles, et al.; each ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference.

The diaper 20 preferably further includes leg cuffs 32 that provideimproved containment of liquids and other body exudates. Leg cuffs mayalso be referred to as leg bands, side flaps, barrier cuffs, or elasticcuffs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,003 describes a disposable diaper whichprovides a contractible leg opening having a side flap and one or moreelastic members to provide an elasticized leg cuff (a gasketing cuff).U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,808,178 and 4,909,803 issued to Aziz et al. on Feb. 28,1989 and Mar. 20, 1990, respectively, describe disposable diapers having"stand-up" elasticized flaps (barrier cuffs) which improve thecontainment of the leg regions. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,695,278 and 4,795,454issued to Lawson on Sep. 22, 1987 and to Dragoo on Jan. 13, 1989,respectively, describe disposable diapers having dual cuffs, includinggasketing cuffs and barrier cuffs. In some embodiments, it may bedesirable to treat all or a portion of the leg cuffs with a lotion, asdescribed above. In addition to leg cuffs 32, diaper 20 can also includean elastic gasketing cuff 63 with one or more elastic strands 65positioned outboard of the barrier cuff.

Embodiments of the present invention may also include pockets forreceiving and containing waste, spacers which provide voids for waste,barriers for limiting the movement of waste within the article,compartments or voids which accept and contain waste materials depositedin the diaper, and the like, or any combinations thereof Examples ofpockets and spacers for use in absorbent products are described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,514,121 issued to Roe et al. on May 7, 1996, entitled "DiaperHaving Expulsive Spacer"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,236 issued to Dreier et alon Dec. 15, 1992, entitled "Disposable Absorbent Article Having CoreSpacers"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,318 issued to Dreier on Mar. 14, 1995,entitled "Absorbent Article Having A Pocket Cuff"; U.S. Pat. No.5,540,671 issued to Dreier on Jul. 30, 1996, entitled "Absorbent ArticleHaving A Pocket Cuff With An Apex"; and PCT Application WO 93/25172published Dec. 3, 1993, entitled "Spacers For Use In Hygienic AbsorbentArticles And Disposable Absorbent Articles Having Such Spacer"; and U.S.Pat. No. 5,306,266, entitled "Flexible Spacers For Use In DisposableAbsorbent Articles", issued to Freeland on Apr. 26, 1994. Examples ofcompartments or voids are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,312, entitled"Disposable Fecal Compartmenting Diaper", issued to Khan on Nov. 6,1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,147, entitled "Absorbent Article With ElasticLiner For Waste Material Isolation", issued to Freeland on Feb. 5, 1991;U.S. Pat. No. 5,62,840, entitled "Disposable Diapers", issued to Holt etal on Nov. 5, 1991; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,755 entitled "TrisectionTopsheets For Disposable Absorbent Articles And Disposable AbsorbentArticles Having Such Trisection Topsheets", issued to Freeland et al onDec. 14, 1993. Examples of suitable transverse barriers are described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,554,142 entitled "Absorbent Article Having MultipleEffective Height Transverse Partition" issued Sep. 10, 1996 in the nameof Dreier et al.; PCT Patent WO 94/14395 entitled "Absorbent ArticleHaving An Upstanding Transverse Partition" published Jul. 7, 1994 in thename of Freeland, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,703 Absorbent ArticleHaving Angular Upstanding Transverse Partition, issued Aug. 5, 1997 toRoe, et al. The disclosures of each of the above-cited patents andpublications are hereby incorporated by reference herein. In addition tobeing liquid permeable the topsheet is preferably extensible, and morepreferably elastically extensible. The attribute of liquid permeabilityis always preferred in a topsheet, whether it is in its extended stateor in its relaxed or contracted state, in order to enable liquids topass therethrough to be absorbed by absorbent core 28. Elasticextensibility can be provided to the topsheet by forming the topsheetfrom an inherently elastic material, such as a thin, apertured sheetmade from rubber, latex, elastically extensible polymeric film, or thelike. Additionally, the topsheet can be formed from an inherentlysubstantially inelastic material, such as a woven or nonwoven sheet offibrous material that is so formed or so treated as to be made to beelastic, such as by means of corrugating, ring rolling, or the like (seedescription and patents incorporated by reference in the discussionabove relating to elastic extensibility of backsheet 26). If elasticextensibility is provided to the topsheet by one of the rollingtechniques identified hereinabove, it is preferred that the attribute ofelastic extensibility be provided in at least the cross-machinedirection, so that at least a portion of the topsheet can be extended ina transverse direction relative to diaper 20, which corresponds with thewidth dimension of the topsheet and of the diaper.

A topsheet in accordance with the present invention preferably includesone or more regions that when placed under tension includes a pluralityof relatively small openings that extend through the topsheet. Suchopenings permit the passage through the topsheet of semi-solids, such asloose or runny bowel movements of the character typically associatedwith newborn infants and very young babies, and of others suffering fromdiarrhea. W hen the tensile forces acting on such a topsheet arereleased, the elasticity of the material causes the topsheet to contractto its original, untensioned condition, resulting in the closing of thepreviously-existing small openings, thereby preventing the furtherpassage through the topsheet of non-liquids. Upon the closing of theopenings the matter that has passed through the topsheet is retainedbetween the absorbent core and the topsheet. Moreover, if the topsheetmaterial is opaque, or substantially opaque, the bowel movement will notbe visible, thereby rendering diapering a less unappealing and lessunwelcome chore.

Regions of the topsheet that are intended to present openings throughthe topsheet when the topsheet is placed under laterally-directedtensile forces are preferably pierced by providing a plurality ofdiscontinuities in the form of slits, cuts, or perforations that extendthrough the topsheet. The discontinuities are arranged to define in thetopsheet a predetermined pattern of discrete, localized regions ofslits, cuts, or perforations. The discontinuities permit the edges ofthe topsheet that surround the discontinuities to separate from eachother and thereby provide the desired plurality of small openings. Suchdiscontinuities are preferably in the form of rectilinear cuts,curvilinear cuts, or combinations thereof, that can be made by a varietyof cutting devices of the types known to those skilled in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown the body-facing surface of adisposable diaper 200 having a topsheet 202 in accordance with thepresent invention. In all other respects the structure of diaper 200 isthe same as that shown in FIG. 1 and described above in connection withdiaper 20. As shown in FIG. 2, topsheet 202 includes a pattern 204 ofdiscrete, spaced discontinuities defined by a plurality of rectilinearcuts or slits 206 that extend through topsheet 202. Slits 206 arepreferably oriented so that they extend in the longitudinal direction ofdiaper 200, in the direction of longitudinal centerline 100, and theyalso are preferably aligned to define a plurality of laterally spacedcolumns 208 that also extend in the longitudinal direction of diaper200. As they are shown in FIG. 2, slits 206 are of substantially equallength, but they can be of different lengths, if desired. Also as shownin FIG. 2, slits 206 of a given column 208 are longitudinally andequally spaced from each other, and adjacent columns 208 are at atransverse spacing 209 from each other and are positioned so that theends of slits 206 of one column 208 are longitudinally offset from theends of slits 206 of adjacent columns 208. Accordingly, laterallyopposite the intervening uncut spaces between aligned slits 206 of onecolumn 208 are slits 206 of the adjacent columns 208. As it isillustrated in FIG. 2, topsheet 202 is in its relaxed, untensionedcondition, at a time when slits 206 are in substantially closedcondition in that the edges of the slits are substantially in contactwith each other so as to make topsheet 202 appear to the naked eye to bea continuous topsheet without cuts or slits, but still liquid permeable.

When laterally-directed tensile forces are applied to topsheet 202, theextensibility of topsheet 202 results in lateral stretching of thetopsheet. Under that condition, the uncut areas 210 between adjacentslits 206 are subjected to the laterally-directed tensile forces andthey stretch in a lateral direction, causing edges of slits 206 toseparate from each other to provide individual openings 212, as shown inFIG. 3. Because of the disposition, size, and spacing of slits 206relative to each other, openings 212 are diamond-shaped, as shown inFIG. 4. Such laterally-applied tensile forces are imposed when ears 30in rear waist region 44 of diaper 200 are each drawn laterally outwardlyin opposite directions, to enable the diaper rear waist region to bedrawn against the back of the wearer and around the wearer's waist sothat ears 30 of rear waist area 44 at least partially overlap ears 30 offront waist region 46. When in the condition illustrated in FIG. 4, theplural openings 212 in tensioned topsheet 202 are sufficiently large topermit semi-solid fecal matter 207 to pass from wearer 205 throughopenings 212 in topsheet 202 to absorbent core 28, as shown in FIG. 5.When the passage of fecal material 207 occurs through topsheet 202, theliquid component of the material is absorbed by absorbent core 28 whilethe solid component of the material remains between absorbent core 28and topsheet 202, as shown in FIG. 6. When diaper 202 is subsequentlyremoved from the body of the wearer, the tensile forces that previouslyserved to hold the diaper snugly about the waist of the wearer arereleased, thereby permitting topsheet 202 to return to its original,untensioned condition. Upon release of the tensile forces acting ontopsheet 202, and the contraction of topsheet 202 to its original,unstretched condition, the plurality of small openings 212 that werepresent when topsheet 202 was in the tensioned state are now closed, asillustrated in FIG. 7, which serves to conceal from view the portion ofthe fecal material that passed through the topsheet.

When slits 206 in topsheet 202 are of rectilinear form, as shown in FIG.2, the slits 206 can have a length of from about 1.0 mm to about 100 mm,preferably from about 2.0 mm to about 50.0 mm, and most preferably fromabout 3.0 mm to about 10.0 mm. The longitudinal spacing 210 betweenadjacent slits 206 can be up to about 10.0 mm, preferably up to about5.0 mm, and most preferably up to about 2.0 mm. The transverse spacing209 between adjacent columns 208 of aligned slits 206 can be up to about10.0 mm, preferably up to about 5.0 mm, and most preferably up to about2.0 mm. The longitudinal offset 211 of the ends of the slits 206 inadjacent columns 208 can be from about 0 mm to about 100 mm, preferablyfrom about 2.0 mm to about 50 mm, and most preferably from about 3.0 mmto about 10.0 mm.

Although shown in FIG. 2 as a series of parallel columns 208 of alignedslits 206, slit pattern 204 can, if desired, be such that the slits of agiven column are not precisely aligned with each other but are laterallyoffset from each other. Preferably, however, slits 206 are so disposedthat the application of tensile forces to topsheet 202 results in aplurality of substantially equal area openings having an area of fromabout 1.0 mm² to about 2500 mm², that are substantially uniformlydistributed over the entirety of cut pattern 204. Although openings 212preferably are of substantially equal area, the areas of the openingsneed not be equal. For example, the areas of openings 212 can be largerin the portion of topsheet 202 that lies at and adjacent longitudinalcenterline 100 of diaper 200. Additionally, larger openings 212 can beprovided in the portion of topsheet 202 that lies at and adjacent theintersection of longitudinal centerline 100 and transverse centerline110.

Although slits 206 are shown in FIG. 2 as having a rectilinear form,they can alternatively be curvilinear or of any other suitable geometry.If desired, or a combination of rectilinear and curvilinear forms. Oneform of such curvilinear slits 214 is shown in FIG. 8. When a topsheet215 having the slit form and the column and row slit pattern shown inFIG. 8 is stretched laterally, slits 214 open to define respectivesubstantially crescent-shaped openings 216, as shown in FIG. 9.

In addition to the longitudinally aligned slits illustrated in slitpattern 204 shown in FIG. 2, the slit pattern can be arranged as shownin FIG. 10. As there shown, the individual slits in topsheet 220 can bedisposed in a pattern 222 of angularly disposed slits 224. Althoughslits 224 are each defined by a straight line cut, and although slitpattern 222 of FIG. 10 defines a series of laterally spaced,longitudinal columns each defined by a plurality of slits 224, each ofslits 224 is inclined at an acute angle θ relative to a line 226 that isparallel to the longitudinal axis of the diaper. The inclination angle θpreferably is less than about 45°, and more preferably is less thanabout 30°. Moreover, slits 224 can each be disposed at the sameinclination angle, as shown in FIG. 10, or, alternatively, theinclination angles of the slits can differ within slit pattern 222, toprovide topsheet openings that have different areas in differentregions-of the topsheet. Additionally, the slit pattern can include bothrectilinear slits and curvilinear slits, if desired.

Slit pattern 204 shown in FIG. 2 can, if desired, be an overall patternthat extends over the entire surface of topsheet 202. Additionally,however, slit pattern 204 can be provided only in a limited area oftopsheet 202, such as in the rear waist region 44 and the crotch region48, as shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, slit pattern 204 extends over anarea sufficiently large that when topsheet 202 is subjected to tension,at least some of the resulting openings in the topsheet are positionedopposite the wearer's anal opening when the diaper is worn, regardlessof the position of the diaper relative to the body of the wearer andregardless of the size of the body of the wearer. Accordingly, it ispreferred that slit pattern 204 extend over at least a portion of crotchregion 48. Of course, that same slit pattern coverage variation alsoapplies to curvilinear slits 214 and angularly disposed slits 224 shownin figures and 10, respectively.

It is also preferred that backsheet 26 be extensible, preferably havingan extensibility of from about 10% to about 500%, more preferably fromabout 50% to about 300%, so that the backsheet and the topsheet eachstretch laterally simultaneously when diaper 200 is applied to the bodyof a wearer. Such mutual extension of the backsheet and topsheet resultsin a snug and body-conforming fit of the diaper on the body of thewearer, with the topsheet extended an amount sufficient to open theslits formed therein, and without excessive bagginess or bulkiness ofthe diaper so that it does not cause undesirable protrusion of thewearer's clothing that is positioned about the wearer's lower torso.Preferably, the extensibility of backsheet 26 is provided in at leastthe rear waist region 44 and in at least a portion of crotch region 48of the diaper.

Instead of having the attribute of elastic extensibility, backsheet 26can alternatively be of a substantially inelastic nature, if desired. Inthat event, it is preferred that backsheet 26 have a greater width thanthat of topsheet 202, as shown in FIG. 11, wherein the narrower,slit-containing, elastically extensible topsheet 202 causes asubstantially crescent-shaped gap between the topsheet and the absorbentcore 28 when the diaper is viewed in cross section. When a diaper havingsuch a structure is applied to the body of a wearer topsheet 202 will besubjected to tension, thereby causing slits 206 provided therein to openand to permit the benefits of the present invention to be realized.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would-be apparent to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention. It is thereforeintended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An absorbent article adapted to be worn adjacentthe lower torso of a wearer for receiving and retaining body exudates,said absorbent article comprising:a. a liquid impervious, elasticallyextensible backsheet having an outer, garment-facing surface and aninner, body-facing surface; b. an absorbent core having a shape toenable the core to be placed adjacent the body of a wearer and havingthe capacity of absorbing liquids; c. a flexible, elastically extensibleliquid-pervious topsheet overlying the absorbent core, the topsheetincluding a plurality of spaced discontinuities that are substantiallyclosed when the topsheet is in an untensioned condition and that areopen to define a plurality of spaced openings extending through thetopsheet when the topsheet is subjected to tension, to enable solid andsemi-solid body exudates to pass through the topsheet to the absorbentcore.
 2. An absorbent article in accordance with claim 1, wherein thediscontinuities are cuts that extend through the topsheet.
 3. Anabsorbent article in accordance with claim 2, wherein at least some ofthe cuts are rectilinear and/or curvilinear.
 4. An absorbent article inaccordance with claim 3, wherein the cuts are disposed in a plurality ofspaced, substantially aligned columns.
 5. An absorbent article inaccordance with claim 4, wherein the cuts have a length of from about1.0 mm to about 100 mm.
 6. An absorbent article in accordance with claim5, wherein ends of adjacent aligned cuts are spaced from each other adistance of up to about 10.0 mm.
 7. An absorbent article in accordancewith claim 4, wherein the columns of aligned cuts are spaced laterallyfrom each other a distance of up to about 10.0 mm.
 8. An absorbentarticle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the topsheet has an elasticextensibility of from about 10% to about 500%.
 9. An absorbent articlein accordance with claim 8, wherein the discontinuities are cuts thatextend through the topsheet.
 10. An absorbent article in accordance withclaim 9 wherein at least some of the cuts are rectilinear and/orcurvilinear.
 11. An absorbent article in accordance with claim 10,wherein the cuts are disposed in a plurality of spaced, substantiallyaligned columns.
 12. An absorbent article in accordance with claim 11,wherein the cuts have a length of from about 1.0 mm to about 100 mm. 13.An absorbent article in accordance with claim 12, wherein ends ofadjacent aligned cuts are spaced from each other a distance of up toabout 10.0 mm.
 14. An absorbent article in accordance with claim 11,wherein the columns of aligned cuts are spaced laterally from each othera distance of up to about 10.0 mm.
 15. An absorbent article inaccordance with claim 10 wherein the article includes a longitudinalaxis and the cuts are inclined at an acute angle relative to thelongitudinal axis.
 16. An absorbent article in accordance with claim 15wherein the acute angle is less than about 45°.
 17. An absorbent articlein accordance with claim 1, wherein the article includes a front waistregion, a rear waist region, and a crotch region, and wherein thediscontinuities are disposed in at least the crotch region of theabsorbent article.
 18. An absorbent article adapted to be worn adjacentthe lower torso of a wearer for receiving and retaining body exudates,the absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edges and a pair ofend edges, said absorbent article comprising:a. a liquid impervious,backsheet having an outer, garment-facing surface and an inner,body-facing surface; b. an absorbent core having a shape to enable thecore to be placed adjacent the body of a wearer and having the capacityof absorbing liquids; c. a flexible, liquid-pervious topsheet overlyingthe absorbent core, the topsheet including a plurality of spaceddiscontinuities that are substantially closed when the topsheet is in anuntensioned condition and that are open to define a plurality of spacedopenings extending through the topsheet when the topsheet is subjectedto tension, to enable solid and semi-solid body exudates to pass throughthe topsheet to the absorbent core; and d. spacing means for spacing atleast a portion of the topsheet from at least a portion of the absorbentcore to define a cavity between the topsheet and the absorbent core forreceiving solid and semi-solid bodily exudates.
 19. The absorbentarticle of claim 18 wherein the backsheet has a width greater than thewidth of the topsheet such that when the topsheet and the backsheet arejoined together a cavity is formed between the topsheet and theabsorbent core for receiving solid and semi-solid bodily exudates. 20.The absorbent article of claim 18, wherein the discontinuities are cutsthat extend through the topsheet.
 21. The absorbent article of claim 20,wherein at least some of the cuts are rectilinear and/or curvilinear.22. The absorbent article of claim 20, wherein the cuts are disposed ina plurality of spaced, substantially aligned columns.
 23. The absorbentarticle of claim 20, wherein the cuts have a length of from about 1.0 mmto about 100 mm.
 24. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein ends ofadjacent aligned cuts are spaced from each other a distance of up toabout 10.0 mm.
 25. The absorbent article of claim 22, wherein thecolumns of aligned cuts are spaced laterally from each other a distanceof up to about 10.0 mm.
 26. The absorbent article of claim 18, whereinthe topsheet is elastically extensible.
 27. The absorbent article ofclaim 26, wherein the backsheet is elastically extensible.
 28. Theabsorbent article of claim 18 wherein the article includes alongitudinal axis and the cuts are inclined at an acute angle relativeto the longitudinal axis.
 29. The absorbent article of claim 28 whereinthe acute angle is less than about 45°.
 30. The absorbent article ofclaim 18, wherein the article includes a front waist region, a rearwaist region and a crotch region, and wherein the discontinuities aredisposed in at least the crotch region of the absorbent article.
 31. Theabsorbent article of claim 18, wherein the backsheet is elasticallyextensible.
 32. The absorbent article of claim 18 wherein the backsheetis substantially inextensible.
 33. An absorbent article adapted to beworn adjacent the lower torso of a wearer for receiving and retainingbody exudates, the absorbent article having a pair of longitudinal edgesand a pair of end edges, said absorbent article comprising:a. a liquidimpervious, backsheet having an outer, garment-facing surface and aninner, body-facing surface; b. an absorbent core having a shape toenable the core to be placed adjacent the body of a wearer and havingthe capacity of absorbing liquids; c. a flexible, liquid-pervioustopsheet overlying the absorbent core, the topsheet including aplurality of spaced discontinuities that are substantially closed whenthe topsheet is in an untensioned condition and that are open to definea plurality of spaced openings extending through the topsheet when thetopsheet is subjected to tension, to enable solid and semi-solid bodyexudates to pass through the topsheet to the absorbent core; and d. aspacing member disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet forspacing at least a portion of the topsheet from at least a portion ofthe absorbent core to define a cavity between the topsheet and theabsorbent core for receiving solid and semi-solid bodily exudates.